1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to building forms and, in particular, to a reusable form and method for applying a cementitious substance to planar surfaces.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are many forms for shaping the materials of construction used in building trades. Among these are forms common for making concrete blocks of many shapes. Poured concrete structures are also shaped by the use of molds. In many cases, molds built of wood are fabricated on the location to frame buildings to particular specifications.
Many houses and buildings today are being constructed with stucco exterior wall coverings. Stucco is both decorative and durable, but requires application by skilled workers to achieve a satisfactory appearance. To this end, many molds have been developed to aid in the application of decorative layers of cementitious products to buildings. Examples of molds for cementitious products are U.S. Pat. Nos., 3,702,180 to Jones; 2,893,098 to Tilly; 2,286,531 to Fralich; and 1,564,578 to Kennedy.
Jones discloses a mold for casting a thin concrete panel with one flat face and one face in relief. The molds are made on the ground and placed on a building after formation.
Tilly discloses a disposable, pan-shaped, bendable mold. He nails wire mesh to a building and applies a layer of cementitious material on the mesh. The pan shaped mold is then filled and lifted onto the building. The wire mesh stays in place, even after the molds are removed from the dried wall.
Fralich discloses a mold for casting stone shapes in which two pans are hinged together to form each mold. The molds are filled on the ground, lifted to the wall, held to the wall, vibrated, and then removed, the stone shapes remaining on the wall.
Kennedy discloses a pattern for marking walls in which patterned lath is put on the walls and covered with cementitious material. At corners, he either abuts the next pattern against the first pattern, or he provides hinges which extend outward from the pattern. If two patterns are butted against each other, problems in aligning them and holding them in the proper position arise. If a hinge is used, it allows the form to be used in only one direction and also inhibits the smooth application of material over the pattern.
In many buildings, decorative applications of stucco are often added to the corners, both inner and outer, in shapes known as quoins. In order to produce quoins of uniform shape and proper vertical alignment along the building, masons commonly build wooden forms at each job location. They then wrap wooden blocks with cement and apply them to the walls. When the cement is dry, stucco is applied over it. When the forms are removed, they usually can not be reused for another job. This process of building new forms for each job is time consuming and adds expense to the job as well as delaying the application of the final coat of stucco.
There is, therefore, a need for a reusable and reversible mold for building quoins which is adjustable for both inner and outer corners, does not require the use of wrapped wooden blocks, and is made of a material which is non-adhering to cementitious substances. There is also a need for a single quoin mold which forms one quoin and for a multiple quoin mold which forms several quoins in vertical alignment.